Witch's Brew
by blakes8th
Summary: Sandra pays the witch in the woods a visit, looking for answers, but things don't go according to plans. Set during the episode 'wicca work'. M rated.


Witches Brew

Disclaimer: New Tricks is the sole property of the BBC. So lets keep this between us eh! ;-D

Rating: M – Really M!

Episode – Wicca Work, series 3. This story sort of fits within that episode. In this version though, it is Jack who sees Grace in the car park, and Sandra doesn't find him at Dr Ellington's.

Pairing – Sandland.

/

"What are they up to?" Sandra wondered, as her wayward team disappeared in front of her eyes, well the two who had been bothered to turn up, there was no sign of Jack. She sighed, Gerry had said they needed to speak to Rhoda Wishaw again. She spotted a post-it on Gerry's desk, he had obviously been googling something, she looked at his browsing history, and sure enough he had been looking for a location, which he had found on google maps. She took a note of the location and grabbed her bag and keys.

She had just got to her car when she stopped short. Her front tyre was as flat as a pancake. She groaned, remembering the white van which had cut her up that morning and forced her too close to the curb, she had banged the front wheel quite hard, and had obviously damaged the tyre.

"Problem?" She heard a voice behind her, turning she saw her boss, Robert Strickland approaching. She shrugged.

"It appears I've broken my tyre." She told him.

"Is it flat?"

"Only at the bottom." She sighed, He caught the joke and smiled.

"Just turn it over then." He quipped back. She laughed. "I'll give the garage a call, get them to send someone up to sort it out. I chased up the contractors regarding your office, they promise we'll know by the end of the day whether or not the asbestos can be removed, or if a complete refit will be needed." He gave her a slightly apologetic smile. "I'm afraid the foreman wasn't very hopeful though, in which case we may have to find UCOS a new home." She sighed.

"Thanks for trying, I appreciate it." She looked again at the car.

"Do you need to get somewhere?"

"Gerry and Brian went to interview Rhoda Wishaw yesterday, this morning they have been acting very strangely. I was going to see her myself."

"I can give you a lift if you like." He offered, surprising her.

"Are you sure? Sir." He nodded.

"To be honest I could do with a ride out, I've just come from a meeting with the solicitors."

"Your wife?" Sandra asked, she was one of very few people who knew that her boss was in the late stages of divorce, like so many police before him, the demands of the job had wreaked irreparable damage on his personal life. He nodded sadly.

"Sixteen years of marriage, you would think it should be harder to end than a few signatures." he told her, his face was neutral, but his eyes gave him away. She gave him a kind smile.

"Thank you, I'd really appreciate a lift."

/

They found themselves wandering through the woods, following the printed map Sandra had got off Gerry's computer.

"What are we looking for?" Strickland asked. Sandra shrugged.

"A witch." She replied. He stopped and stared at her. She grinned. "Can't be that hard to find."

"If I see a black cat, I'll follow it."

"Wand in hand?" She smirked, making him laugh out loud. She smiled, he rarely laughed, especially in the last few months. They walked on for a while before Sandra laid a hand on his arm.

"Listen." She whispered. They stood still and the faint sound of singing could be heard, they followed the sound until they spotted a tall wigwam style tent.

As they approached, they saw the woman they had come to see, sitting by a small fire. She looked up and smiled.

"Well, well. I am popular." She said. Sandra presented her warrant card.

"My name is Detective super intendant Sandra Pullman, This is Deputy assistant commissioner Robert Strickland, I believe two of my colleagues came to visit you yesterday."

"Please sit, I was just about to have some tea. Yes, very nice men, very friendly." She poured them two cups of her herbal brew and handed them over, Sandra had never minded herbal tea so she took a tentative sip.

"This is good, refreshing." She looked at Robert who was looking at the cup with distrust. "Try it, it's good." He took a sip and raised an eyebrow.

"Not something I would normally drink, but you're right, it is nice."

"Just a blend of herbs, nothing harmful I assure you, just something to warm your heart. Now, your friends yesterday..."

"Yes, I just wondered what you spoke about, they were a bit vague this morning."

"Yes, that's probably my fault. They fell in the woods, got quite scuffed up. I used some of my healing salves on them. Kept them rather late I'm afraid. I just told them the truth, I'm afraid I don't know of anything that would be of use to you except that none of the coven would kill. It's against everything we believe in." Sandra's phone cut into the conversation. She read the text message.

"Jack has something." She said. Rhoda looked at the two police officers.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you two lovers?" She asked. Rob stared at her while Sandra spluttered on her tea

"No! No we're not." Sandra said.

"Shame, you are very compatible, the sex would be incredible." She winked at Sandra, Robert swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"We'd better get back." He said, his brow was damp, and he was feeling warm, almost feverish. Sandra nodded.

They set off back towards his car. As they neared it, Sandra stumbled, Robert reached out and grasped her arm to stop her falling. The touch sent a jolt through her system like an electric shock. She felt odd, hot and cold at the same time, her mind was buzzing, but the one thought which kept on running through her mind was that she needed him to touch her again. She looked at him and saw a look of intensity on his face, his dark blue eyes had turned almost black. His face was flushed, and a bead of sweat ran down his face.

"Sandra, I don't feel..." He started. But she wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, she was watching the sweat droplet as it made its way down to his jawline, she wasn't conscious of reaching out and touching his face, but suddenly it was as if she knew what she had to do. He must have felt the same because in an instant his arms were around her and their lips were locked together. She had one hand at the nape of his neck, the other on his backside, she pulled herself against him, grinding against his rock hard length. He lifted her and sat her on the bonnet of the car, their lips still locked in a duel. He broke away just long enough to undo her trousers and peel them and her underware down off her legs, she slipped her feet out of her shoes, and he removed the garments. He came back to her, his hands pushing her blouse up so that her breasts were exposed, he pulled her bra down, and sucked one of her diamond hard nipples into his mouth, making her groan, then he swapped to the other, lavishing it with the same attention. Sandra was could feel his erection against her through his trousers, she fumbled with his belt before undoing it, she pushed his trousers and boxers down, freeing his manhood, which sprang to attention, she caressed it, running her hand along its velvety warmth, driving him to distraction. He moved slightly so that he had her pinned on the bonnet, grasping her hands in his, effectively holding her down, but she didn't care, she parted her thighs, inviting him. He didn't need to be asked twice, he pushed against her, entering her in one fluid, forceful thrust. She gasped as she felt stretched to the limit, the delicious pain causing her to bite her bottom lip. She arched up against him, forcing him even deeper. Her legs wrapped around his, egging him on, he started to pound into her, pulling almost all the way out before driving back in, hard and fast, she should have been in pain, but instead she needed more, she grasped his buttocks, her fingernails leaving angry red marks on his pale flesh, making him go faster, harder, like a rutting stag, until, with an animal like growl, he gave one last thrust and emptied into her, the pressure on her core making her scream as she came with him. He braced himself over her, trying to catch his breath.

"Sandra I.."

"Take me home...Please."

They gathered the discarded clothes and climbed into the car before driving away, leaving the woods behind. A figure stepped out from the trees, smiling like a cat in a birdhouse.

"That's just the beginning, there's better to come." She whispered to the retreating tail lights.

/

They were getting close to her house, but Sandra was almost climbing the sides of the car, she was flushing hot and cold again, and the junction of her thighs ached. She was desperately trying not to look at the man sitting besides her, her brain wasn't so muddled that she didn't feel mortified by the fact that they had just shagged on the bonnet of his car like a couple of teenagers, she happened to glance down at his lap, and saw the tented material of his trousers, and a quick glance at his face showed her that he to was fighting an internal battle. She reached forward and switched on the radio, hoping that a bit of music might ease the tension in the car.

"_You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals, so lets do it like they do on the discovery channel..." _

She hit the button again, shutting it off. That really hadn't helped! She saw him shift in his seat, he was obviously feeling constricted. She watched as he sneakily tried to adjust himself. She could feel herself becoming hot again, and she tried desperately to block the memories of that particular part of his body.

"We're here." His voice made her start, her insides turning to liquid again. He pulled up on her gravel driveway. He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed forward. "I know I should just drive away, but I really need a drink of water. That...That tea...I don't think I can drive any further." He closed his eyes, the death grip on the wheel tightening, his knuckles turning white. She nodded.

"Come in.."

"I think I should stay outside..."

"No. Please come in." She knew it was stupid, but the heat at her centre was driving her insane, she needed him, and from the bulge in his trousers, he was feeling the same. He climbed out of the car and they headed up to the front door, Sandra unlocked it and went inside first, slinging her keys, bag and jacket to the side. Robert had turned and shut the door, as he turned back around, he found his arms full of Sandra as she launched herself at him, practically pinning him against the door.

"Do you really need water?" She asked, her voice husky. He shook his head.

"I really need to be inside you." Their lips locked together, and hands frantically pulled at clothing until they reached Sandra's sitting room. They fell in a tangled heap of limbs onto her soft fireside rug, hardly pausing for breath as they removed the rest of their clothing. As soon as they were naked, Sandra flipped him onto his back on the deep pile rug, straddling him. She ran her hands across his chest, running her fingers through the light hair, toying with his nipples, watching as his face filled with fire, his ebony eyes were alight with passion. She pinched the small hard buds, making him gasp and his hips jerk upwards. She was beyond any reason, she needed to be satisfied, her insides were on fire and she wanted to be filled. She sighed as his hands found her breasts, kneading them, pulling at her nipples, making her gasp. He slid his hands down her sides, caressing her flushed skin until he gripped her thighs and raised her up. She ran her hand down his rock hard length, raking her nails through the dark hair at his base before grasping him firmly as she lined him up, pushing herself down, impaling herself on him. She threw her head back, the sensation of being completely filled by him making her almost pass out, she started move, riding him, lifting herself up so that he almost left her before plunging herself back down, relishing the feeling of being filled over and over, her hands braced on his shoulders, her fingernails leaving scratches on his skin. He had his hands on her thighs setting a frantic pace as he thrust up towards her, she felt the climax building inside her, making her heart beat furiously, and her breathing hard, she couldn't stop the scream from escaping her as her body tensed and she threw her head back.

"ROBERT! Fuck yes!" She came hard, clenching down on him. He thrust up with one more vicious movement and emptied himself into her. He held her as she slumped forward onto him, both trembling with exertion but still joined. She could feel him starting to stiffen again and moved slightly, causing him to become fully erect once more, he flipped them both over and started to move, his thrusts not as frantic as before, but still as forceful. She pulled her legs up, wanting more of him. He straightened up and helped her put her legs over his shoulders before driving into her even deeper than before. She shut her eyes and clenched her fists into the rug as he started to pound her again, she felt the oncoming explosion building, her head rolled back and her back arched as a thousand fireworks went off behind her eyes and in her core. He came with her, filling her with several long hard thrusts before he emptied himself into her heat. He let her legs down before collapsing along side her, his heart beating like thunder, and his chest rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath. She came to her senses just long enough to roll over, nestling against him, her arm sliding over his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She saw his eyes close as he seemed to fall asleep, but she didn't have chance to feel annoyed as she felt her own mind fog over, and she laid her head down on his shoulder and lost consciousness.

/

When she awoke, it took Sandra a few minutes to realise what had roused her, until the ringing of her doorbell shattered the silence of her house and made her head spin. She felt disorientated, and nauseous, her stomach lurching and her head aching as if she was nursing a hangover. She slowly became aware of the warm clammy body that she was pillowed against and

suddenly the events of the day came crashing back to her like a high speed car crash. She scooted away from him like she had been hit with an electric shock. The doorbell shrieked again, whoever was there was not about to leave. She stood shakily, not realising until now how bruised and exhausted she was and pulled one of the teal coloured throws from the back of the sofa she was nearest to. Wrapping it around herself, she made her way to her front door, her bare feet cold on the tiles, making her shiver. She put the chain across and fumbled with the lock. Opening the door slowly she peered through the small opening.

"Sandra! Thank god. Where the hell have you been? You've been missing for over four hours. Your car was still at the station, and you have been ignoring your phone..."

"Jack...Ummm...This really isn't a good time..."

"Are you all right?" Jack asked, suddenly suspicious of her strange behaviour. She nodded. "You don't look all right, and why is Strickland's car here?"

"Jack...Please..."

"Sandra! Open this door, you are worrying me now. Or do I have to call the others..."

"NO! Oh God, please don't.." She undid the chain and stood back as the man who had become a second father to her entered and shut the door behind him. He turned and gasped as he caught sight of his surrogate daughter. He saw how she was holding the throw around herself, and he winced as he saw bruises on her wrists and shoulders. She was trying to avoid his eyes, he gently grasped her chin and brought her face up level with his.

"Sandra, talk to me, tell me what happened." His voice was gentle, concerned. Sandra let out a small sob.

"I wanted to go and see Rhoda Wishaw, find out why Gerry and Brian were acting so strange this morning... I had a flat tyre so the DAC gave me a lift...Rhoda..Rhoda gave us some herbal tea... I think she drugged us..." She felt the tears falling down her face. He reached out and took one of her hands, turning it around, examining the bruising on her wrists.

"Sandra, how did this happen?" He asked, though at this moment, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. She looked away, her stomach was lurching again, and she was feeling feverish. She had never felt so helpless before, and she wanted nothing more than to run to her bathroom and lock herself away, but she knew that she had to talk to Jack, or the man would start to draw his own conclusions.

"The DAC did it." She whispered, she saw the older man's eyes darken as fury started to set in, she shook her head. "No..You don't understand, it's not his fault. She gave us something...Something which made us lose control.."

"Is he still here?" Jack asked, his voice a low growl. Sandra nodded.

"After...After we...He passed out, so did I. Must be something to do with what we drank. He's still in the sitting room."

"Wait here." Jack started off towards the room Sandra had indicated. He was struggling to contain his anger and he wanted five minutes alone with their supervisor. He didn't care what they had drunk, those bruises were brutal, there could be no excuse for that in his eyes. He paused as he felt Sandra's hand on his arm.

"Jack, don't! I told you, this isn't his fault. Please.." The pleading tone in her voice stopped him, he closed his eyes and took a breath.

"I won't do anything to him...Yet." He assured her. She nodded gratefully.

"Let me cover him first." She whispered, he raised his eyebrows.

"You mean he's?..." She nodded. "I think I can live with the image." He smiled gently. He headed into the lounge but stopped short at the sight of the unconscious figure on the rug. It wasn't the fact that his superior was naked, but rather the bruises and nail marks on the man's shoulders, and the very defined bite mark on his neck. He looked at Sandra in shock.

"Did you?..."

"Yes...Yes I did. Whatever she gave us, it brought out the baser instincts in us." She pulled the throw off the other couch and approached the prone man. Jack stopped her.

"I'll take care of him, why don't you go and get a shower and some clothes." He gently took the throw out of her hands, she nodded.

"Jack, please...He..He tried to leave, but whatever she gave us...I know it looks bad, but I was an equal partner in this, he didn't force me in any way..." She looked down at the floor, the misery washing over her, she felt dirty and embarrassed, yet part of her was still burning, still needing, she headed out of the door and up the stairs to her bedroom, she tossed the throw into a heap in the corner, pacing around like a caged panther, the ache in her stomach growing, burning making tears form in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself as she made her way into her en-suit. She turned on the water and stood under the hot jets of water, but she couldn't wash away the need. She turned the temperature down, trying to ease the sensations washing over her, but she was still burning, her skin was on fire and she couldn't stop shaking.

She sat down on the floor of the cubicle, drawing her knees up to her chin and started to weep.

/

Jack approached the figure on the floor, he clutched the throw in his hands, twisting the plush fabric between his fists, strangling it, instead of the figure in front of him, resisting the urge to put the boot in on the man who had dared to cause such bruises on 'his' Sandra.

He had watched her growing up, had seen how the pretty little blonde cherub had idolised a man who in his opinion had never deserved her affection, or Grace's for that manner. He and Mary had spoken to Grace many times, and had known that she had been fully aware of her husband's infidelity, yet she had lived up to her name and carried herself with dignity and pride, though Jack had always believed this was what had driven a wedge between Grace and her young daughter. Mary had taken the girl under her wing after Gordon had died, and they had become a second family to the teenager, giving her a sanctuary when the arguments between her and Grace had become too much, Grace had known where her daughter was running off to, but she had confided in Jack that she had been glad that Sandra had had a safe place to hide.

When Sandra had joined the police force, Jack had been so proud, which considering her decision had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with her dead idol, had seemed a bit strange, but Mary had joked that he must have influenced her... just a little bit.

Yes, he did feel as though she was the daughter he had never had, and now he was staring down at the bastard who had caused injuries similar to those he'd seen on assault victims he had dealt with down the years.

But he had promised her. He laid the cover over the man, hiding the nakedness which served as a reminder to Jack of the violation which had taken place. He sat on the sofa, looking at the prone form in front of him, he knew he was being unfair. Strickland was no predator, the man had a code of honour, and this was about as out of character as he could get.

Jack put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his notebook, he flicked through it and found the number he was looking for. He took out his phone and dialled the number, it rang a few times before he heard a voice on the other end.

"Cara Nabb."

"Hello. It's Jack Halford, from UCOS."

"Again! I'm afraid I cannot help you any more than I already have..."

"No, this is about something else. Two of my colleagues have been to see your friend Rhoda. She's drugged them with something which has made them …..do things." He heard a sigh from the other end of the phone.

"Oh dear. I suppose sex was involved."

"Yes, quite intense apparently. Sandra mentioned a tea..."

"Aaahhhh. One of Rhoda's special herbal mixes."

"She gave something to my other colleagues, but they don't seem to have been affected nearly as badly."

"Rhoda brews her teas to different strengths. Tell me, do your friends have any lingering ...affects?" Jack thought he may be imagining it, but she sounded concerned.

"Sandra was very shaky, she has gone for a shower to try and freshen up. The other is still asleep."

"Asleep...Oh dear!" He heard another sigh and she muttered something like 'drusilla'. "That really isn't good. It sounds like Rhoda has used her most potent brew."

"Will they be alright?" Jack asked, concerned.

"Eventually. The tea removes all inhibitions and heightens the libido. They should be right as rain by this evening. Though obviously, if they resist their urges, it will be very uncomfortable. My advice is to let the potion take it's course, the more they resist, the longer it will take to wear off."

"It's not as simple as that. They normally can't be in the same room for more than ten minutes without arguing. He is her commanding officer, which puts them both in a very difficult position. Also, he's married with two children."

"I'm sorry, Rhoda can be very...how can I put it..."

"Dangerous!"

"No, She'd never intentionally harm anyone. Impulsive is a better term. Anyway, there had to be some attraction between your friends for this to happen, Rhoda's tea can't make you fall into bed with someone you don't like. There has to be a connection for it to work, it just amplifies feelings which already exist."

"I'm not sure..."

"I'm sorry Mr Halford. I have a patient waiting. Please, trust me, they will be fine. If you need me, I'll be happy to help." She hung up the phone and left Jack staring at the figure on the floor in shock. 'There had to be some attraction' echoed around his mind. He knew that the DAC had a 'thing' for Sandra, but as far as he knew, the man had never directly acted on it, plus there was his family to consider. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. He could here the shower running in the room above him. He had known that Sandra was still affected, he could see it in her eyes, but now he realised that her discomfort was only going to get worse.

He jumped slightly as he heard a groan from the man on the floor. Strickland opened his eyes and struggled to sit up, Jack winced as he caught sight of the man's back. It was covered in long, deep nail marks, some of which were openly bleeding. The rug was stained with blood, and Jack couldn't help but wonder how he would explain the wounds to his wife. Strickland hunched forward, his face in his hands, misery rolled off him in waves, and for the first time since he had seen Sandra's bruises, Jack felt sorry for the man. He stood and walked into the kitchen where he filled a glass with water. He brought it back to the man on the rug who hadn't moved.

"Here." He held out the glass. Robert jumped, his eyes filling with alarm as he realised that not only was he not alone, but he was being stared at by one of Sandra's team. He swallowed nervously, as he reached out and accepted the glass.

"Thank you." He rasped. He took a mouthful of the deliciously cool liquid, hoping that it would help with the burning sensation in his stomach. He felt hot and disorientated, but he could remember clearly the events of the last few hours. He looked around, but there was no sign of Sandra. He wasn't surprised though, she didn't look at him that way, she had only just started seeing him at all.

He noticed Jack watching him and lowered his face, shame overwhelming him. He could feel the older man's gaze burning into him, and he knew what must be running through Jack's mind. He felt the need to try and explain, to defend himself in some way. But he could only voice one question:

"Where's Sandra?" He rasped. His throat raw, and his voice heavy with emotion. Jack watched the despairing man, as he tried to make eye contact with him, before looking away again, unable to meet his gaze. He was hunched over, his knees drawn up, Jack could see the sweat forming on the man's forehead, and the trembling in his hands. He realised that the 'potion' was starting to take effect again. He sighed.

"She's gone to get herself cleaned up. She's in the shower. We should get you cleaned up too, you're going to have a devil of a time explaining those nail marks to Mrs Strickland." He tried to keep his voice light, in an attempt to put the younger man at ease. Strickland shrugged.

"No wife to care. Not anymore." He muttered. Jack looked at him puzzled.

"You're separated?"

"Way beyond that. Only a few signatures away from being legally divorced."

"I'm sorry, I had no idea." Jack was surprised, he had thought his boss had the perfect home life, at least, that's the image which he had always presented. Strickland smiled wryly.

"Very few know."

"Does Sandra?" Jack asked, the younger man nodded.

"She's one of the few." He shifted uncomfortably, closing his eyes. Jack could see the younger man's fists clenching, his shoulders trembling. "Jesus Christ, what is wrong with me?" He heard his boss growl. Jack hunched down next to him.

"It's the tea you drank. Rhoda Wishaw basically drugged you both, she did the same to Gerry and Brian, but not to the same extent, what she gave you two was much stronger."

"Are they all right?" Robert looked up, the concern evident in his eyes. Jack warmed to the man slightly, even in this state he could see how worried his boss was about the other members of the team. Jack nodded.

"They are acting a bit strange, that's all, You'd probably never notice. At this moment it's you and Sandra I'm worried about. I called Cara Nabb, she told me that you've probably got several hours to go before it clears your systems." Jack watched as Robert started to try to stand, holding on to the throw for dear life while casting his eyes around, looking for his missing clothes.

"Hours! I should go, before I make things any worse than they already are, if that's at all possible." He stuttered, before losing his balance and falling back onto the rug. He let out a groan. Jack put a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping him from trying to stand up again, the younger man looked up at him, Jack could see the blaze of madness in his eyes, the same hunger that he had seen in Sandra's.

"You can't go anywhere in this state." He told him firmly. He raised his head, he could still hear the shower running and was starting to get concerned Sandra had been gone for far too long. "You sit here, don't try to move. I'm just going to check on Sandra." He stood as Robert nodded and headed up towards the bathroom, he tapped lightly on the door.

"Sandra?" He called softly, there was no response. "Sandra, are you alright?" Still nothing. "Sandra, I'm coming in." He opened the door softly, feeling the wave of cool air hitting him in the face, the room was like a fridge and he shivered slightly, he could see the shower was still running, but for a moment he couldn't see the woman who he was concerned about, then he caught sight of the flash of blonde, barely visible above the side of the bath. He crossed the room, grabbing the fluffy white towel from the rail as he passed, he reached in and turned the freezing cascade of water off. He pulled the curtain to one side, his heart shattering as he saw the shaking form crouched in the bath, her knees drawn up to her chin, the tears staining her cheeks.

"Jesus Sandra, you're freezing, you'll catch your death." He scolded softly as he wrapped the towel around her, helping her to stand and step out of the tub. She shook her head.

"I'm burning up Jack. It feels like my insides are on fire. I need...I need..." She closed her eyes, a sob escaping her. He nodded.

"Rhoda poisoned you, it's an incredibly strong aphrodisiac, Cara Nabb told me that it's nothing permanent or life threatening, but it will be several hours before the effects wear off."

"Hours! Jack, it hurts so much. Please..." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know what to do." She whispered. He lead her back through to her room and helped her lay down on her bed, he drew the covers up over her, watching in despair as she curled into a ball, her arms wrapped around her stomach. The soft crying almost broke him in two. He made a snap decision, hurrying from the room, he half sprinted down the stairs back to the man in the front room. He was slightly startled to find the man sitting on the edge of the sofa, he had obviously completely ignored the older man and gone in search of his clothes, but had only managed to find his boxer shorts so far. He looked up at Jack as he approached.

"I'm sorry, I need to leave. I don't want to cause her any more pain." He tried to explain. Jack shook his head.

"I think that's the worst thing you could do. Despite it going against every fibre of my being, she needs you, she's in pain, and you are the only one who can help her, and at the same time ease your own suffering." He replied, trying to keep his voice calm. The younger man looked up at him in shock.

"Jack...I..."

"No. No arguments, come on before I come to my senses." He half dragged the man to his feet and out of the room, Robert allowed himself to be towed up the stairs, unable to resist any longer. The hunger was eating at him, and he was finding it difficult to string two sensible thoughts together. Part of him was screaming that this was wrong, that he needed to get out of here before he destroyed the fragile friendship he had formed with Sandra any more than he already had. The other part of his mind was howling at the moon, wild and feral. He watched as Jack pushed open the door in front of him and allowed himself to be propelled inside, he heard the door shut behind him, but his attention was focused on the miserable figure on the bed, his heart splintered at the obvious suffering and he cursed himself for the thousandth time for being the catalyst behind the torment. He approached her, sitting on the side of the bed, reaching out and brushing the damp hair away from the beautiful features. She looked up at him, her pale blue eyes burning with a need which he too was feeling, but his self hatred was helping to keep it at bay. She sat up, unmindful of her nakedness which made Robert swallow nervously, he was being undone again, his resolve breaking he reached out tentatively, caressing her cheek, his hand trailing down her soft flash, across her shoulder and down to her breast, she sighed.

"Robert please, I need you." She whispered. He closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"It already hurts, I need you to stop it." She got up onto her knees, reaching out for him. She trailed her hand down his face, tracing the line of his jaw, watching his eyes darken as his need grew. "I know we shouldn't, I know we are going to regret what has happened today, but I think I'm going to end up mad if I am left on my own for a moment longer. Cara Nabb was right, I am alone, isolated. I do hide behind my job. I don't want to be alone with this."

The pleading tone in her voice broke him, he reached out and gathered her into his arms, claiming her mouth in an intense kiss. He allowed his hands to wander, exploring the curved contours of her body, he could feel her doing the same, until he couldn't wait any longer, he stood and got rid of his boxers, and lay down with her, upping the intensity of his exploration, making her sigh and whimper at his ministrations. It was taking all of his self control, but he was determined that this time, he was going to be in charge, not some damn potion. He groaned as she caressed him, the sensation making him want to howl, he felt her shift, and her warm breath tickled his ear.

"God Robert! I need you inside me now!" She pleaded, he shook his head.

"No, not this time, no more teenage rutting, this time I'm going to make love to you." He whispered back. Sandra felt her insides melt, the emotions playing across his face telling her a myriad of conflicting stories, but all intelligent thoughts left her as she felt him fill her, the burning in her insides turned into euphoria, and she couldn't hold back the shriek of pleasure as she felt complete for the first time since she had woken on the rug. As he started to move to a rhythm only he could hear, one thought kept on rolling around in Sandra's mind.

'How can something that feels this good, be wrong?'

/

Jack wandered back down the stairs, rubbing his face wearily, 'I need a good strong cup of coffee' he thought to himself, going to the kitchen and switching on the kettle. He stood looking out of the window, running the events of the last few minutes in his mind, while the singing of the kettle reached a crescendo. The kettle couldn't drown out the shriek from upstairs though, and the subsequent noises which left Jack in no doubt that the potion had kicked in again.

"Bloody modern houses. Walls like paper. What with the green man, seeing Mary and now this, I'm the one who's going to need a bloody therapist!" He muttered grumpily as he stirred his hot drink. "Either that, or get pissed!" He moved back to the lounge, where his eyes locked onto the bloodstained rug. He sighed and fetched a black bin bag from the kitchen, and he was rolling the ruined rug up to throw it away when his phone rang.

"Halford." He answered sharply.

"Jack, Brian here. Have you found her yet?" Jack heard the worry in his colleagues voice. He sighed, unsure of how much he should tell them. He soon realised though that the other's would soon figure out that something had happened. He took a deep breath.

"Okay. Look, Sandra went to see Rhoda Wishaw this morning, just after you two left the office evidently. For some reason, which I'm still in the dark about, Strickland went with her..."

"Strickers! Bloody hell! When was the last time he got his hands dirty!" He heard Gerry in the background. Brian shushed him.

"As I was saying, they went to see why you two were acting so strangely. Rhoda gave them one of her 'special' teas."

"What kind of tea? Did it make them forget, or... something else." Brian asked suspiciously. Jack heard the hesitation in his voice.

"Did she give you something?" He asked.

"Well... We had this herbal tea..It made us feel...Good. But we forgot everything she told us. I was just desperate to get home to Esther, Gerry paid Jayne a visit." He could hear an edge of embarrassment in Brian's voice. He heard Gerry in the background muttering, then;

"You're on speaker now. Has she given Sandra the same thing?" Gerry asked, concern evident in his tone.

"No I don't think so. What she gave them was much, much more potent. I spoke to Cara Nabb, she mentioned 'Drusilla', or something like that."

"Drusilla? Wasn't she a vampire?" Gerry offered.

"What?" Jack wasn't following.

"You know, in that American thing...Buffy! That was it. Cait used to watch it."

"What's that got to do with...?"

"Got it!" Brian interrupted. "Not Drusilla. Lucilla, the draught of Lucilla is an extraordinarily strong potion used by covens to unite two souls, mind and body..."

"Where are you getting this?" Jack wondered out loud.

"He's got his head in his little magic book." Gerry explained.

"...Lucilla was said to have given her husband Lucretius a love potion, which drove him insane to the point where he committed suicide..."

"Sounds about right." Jack muttered, he could still hear the noises coming from upstairs. "What else does it say?"

"Not much. It's one of the strongest potions used by wicca, the drinkers are put together in a sacred circle, then as the potion takes affect, the need to

unite becomes overwhelming, according to this, symptoms include, fever, nausea, disorientation, and abdominal cramps all in varying degrees depending on the strength of the brew." Brian read from the book. "If left alone the drinker's symptoms intensify." Gerry interrupted.

"You say Sandra has taken this. Is she okay?"

"Umm. She seems a little bit out of it. She's sleeping at the moment. Maybe they didn't drink enough." He lied. "I'll stay for a bit make sure they're alright."

"They! Is Strickland there?"

"Yes, umm I don't think he's right to drive at the moment. He's sleeping too." Jack didn't want to keep this from his colleagues, but he was fairly sure that Sandra would want to keep this as quiet as possible.

"Do you need us to come..."

"NO!" Jack took a breath, the last thing he needed was Gerry and Brian trying to murder their superior. "No, I think that would be a very bad idea at this moment. We need to plan our next move carefully. We need to find Grace, she's the key to all this. I'll get onto that."

"We'll look into Rhoda Wishaw. There's a reason she didn't want us to remember our visit to her. She must have some sort of background."

"Be careful!" Jack paced the kitchen, the noises from upstairs had stopped, but he was loathe to leave the two alone. "I'm going to stay until I know these two are alright, though from what Cara told me, that might be several hours. It's already two o/clock so let's get together in the morning and see what we have found."

"Right you are. Let us know if you need us to come over." Gerry added before Brian hung up. Jack slipped his phone back into his pocket and carried on making his coffee. The noise from upstairs had started again and Jack made a mental note to tell Sandra to tighten the fixings on her bed as that would stop the creaking. He moved back into the front room, where he notied the rug was still waiting to be disposed of. He gathered it into the bag and set it by the front door, ready to go into the bin. He made his way back to the room and made himself busy gathering clothing, working on autopilot ignoring the sounds, carefully folding the clothes with the same disinterest as if he was folding his own washing. He put the two tidy piles on the sofa and settled into the armchair, turning on the television, desperately looking for something which would conceal the noises from above and allow him to pretend everything was normal for the next few hours at least.

/

"Nothing! This bloody woman just doesn't exist!" Gerry exclaimed as he shut down his computer. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to his friend. "Anything?"

"Nowt. It's like she was never even born." He sighed.

"We're going to have to go back." Gerry frowned.

"What, to the wood?"

"I don't see any other way. I'm sure she's the key to this."

"Alright. But I'm not drinking any bloody tea!"

/

Jack jerked awake as his head nodded forward. He grumbled to himself, rubbing the back of his neck where it ached. He noticed that it had got dark and he peered at the neon clock on the dvd, it was past nine. He noticed that the house was silent. The sounds of passion had continued on and off for the whole of 'Memphis belle' and a good way into the afternoon repeat of yesterdays snooker match between O'Sullivan and Dott. He realised that he must have nodded off as the television had put itself into standby. He got up and stretched before he gingerly made his way up the stairs. There was total silence coming from the bedroom, but Jack had no idea if this was good or bad. He tapped lightly on Sandra's door. Nothing. He knocked a little harder. Still nothing.

"Sandra?" He called softly. "I'm coming in." He steeled himself and pushed the door open. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as he realised that both of the room's occupants were sleeping soundly, under the covers thankfully. Sandra was laying with her head pillowed on Strickland's shoulder, her hand resting on his chest. He had his arms wrapped around her and though it pained Jack to admit it, they looked remarkably suited. He noticed that neither seemed to be feverish anymore and that their breathing was steady and normal. He backed out of the room and closed the door softly.

He cleared up and turned everything off. He left the two piles of clothes on the landing and let himself out, taking the spoiled rug and dumping it in the wheelie bin as he left. As he drove away he breathed a small sigh of relief. He was sure that they would be alright now, but they would have to deal with the emotional fall out by themselves.

He really wasn't paid enough to cope with that.

/

As the first light of the dawn broke through the window, Sandra squinted and sighed. She took a few moments to get her bearings and realise that she was still held tightly against the naked body of her superior officer. She could remember the events of the previous day clearly, and her head ached with the effort of trying to process the memories. She slipped quietly from his sleeping embrace and headed into her shower where she washed away the evidence of their passion. She just wished she could wash away the bruises and the memories. She dried herself and went back to her room, selecting her clothes and dressing quickly. She saw him stir and slowly wake, sitting up and looking around confused.

"Hi. Help yourself to the shower. I'll go and find your clothes." She blurted, suddenly unable to look him in the face. She opened her bedroom door and found the piles of clothes. She picked his up and plopped it on the end of the bed. She looked at him briefly, instantly regretting it as she saw him watching her, the pain of her complete rejection of him evident.

"Thank you." He murmured. She nodded and left, heading to the kitchen where she made herself a cup of strong black coffee. Her mind was in turmoil. Shit! She had slept with her boss, not just slept with him, but engaged in some of the most intense and wanton sex she had ever imagined. She knew it had been the result of that damn poison that the witch had slipped them, but she couldn't help but wonder if they could have resisted more. Maybe he hadn't wanted to resist, maybe he had taken advantage of the situation, god knows Gerry was always teasing her about how the man fancied her. Her mood turned black at the thought, and as she heard a noise behind her she turned to confront him, but the words of reproach died on her lips as she saw him stood by the door, beaten and ashamed, holding his shirt in his hand.

"Umm, sorry, but my shirt is ruined. I have a new one I keep in my car, but I don't seem to be able to find my jacket or keys." His voice sounded hoarse. She gave him a shy smile.

"You left them by the door. Here, have some coffee, I'll get your shirt..." She slipped past him and to the front door. She got the shirt and returned, handing it to him without looking at him. He pulled it on and buttoned it up, wincing as it rubbed against his sore back. Sandra looked away, feeling guilty about the wounds which he was carrying. She noticed that he hadn't helped himself to a cup of coffee.

"Don't you want a drink?" She asked. She turned when he didn't answer. He was watching her, his face full of pain.

"No. I think I had better go. I'm so sorry Sandra, I never meant to hurt you. I...I...I'm sorry." He turned to leave. Sandra stopped him.

"You don't need to be sorry. I was just as much to blame. I needed you..."

"No. You needed sex. It just happened that I'm the one who was available. If it wasn't for that damn witches brew, you wouldn't have looked at me twice." He smiled softly. "I'm not even officially divorced yet, so I suppose that makes me just as guilty of infidelity as Kaye. She's right, I am a shit husband, a shit father, and a shit friend, I ruin everything I touch." He paused for a second, trying to compose himself. He straightened his shoulder's, and taking a deep breath he continued without turning to face her, he knew that if he looked at her, he would be undone. "I'll put in a request for a transfer later today, you shouldn't have to work with me after this. I only hope you can forgive me some day." He stumbled over the last few words, his voice breaking as the raw emotion consumed him. She took several steps towards him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Forgive you for what?" She asked, he didn't turn to face her, she could feel his shoulder trembling under her hand. "Robert please! This is eating me!"

"I pinned you to the bonnet of my car, the bruises speak for themselves. I forced you..."

"You forced me to do nothing! I was as affected by the tea as you were. If I had shouted stop, you would have..."

"That's the thing, I don't think I could have..." He turned to her, his face wet with tears. She realised that she was crying too.

"Neither could I. You tried to leave, I begged you to stay. This isn't your fault. I don't know how we are going to get past this, but I know that I don't want you to leave us. We'll work something out. But right now, I want to clear this case, I want to make this mean something, and bringing a murderer to justice will mean something." She took a step back from him. He nodded.

"Sandra?..." He hesitated. She smiled.

"Yes."

"I...I...I mean we...We didn't use any protection..." He pointed out. She nodded.

"I'm safe. I have an IUD. And I know I'm clean." She assured him. He nodded.

"I am too. I got myself tested when I found out that Kaye had slept with half the boat club." He turned slightly. "Let me know if I can help in any way." He turned away and disappeared from sight. She heard the front door close and his car drive away. She dropped her head, willing the ache in her heart to go away, she knew that at this moment was not the time to dwell on what had happened. Cara Nabb's words rattled around in her mind, words like isolated, and lonely and she realised that, although just about every card was stacked against them, while she had been with Robert, those words had ceased to exist. She had felt complete, though how much of that was down to the brew, she couldn't tell. She took a breath to gather her thoughts into order. She needed to focus, be the professional, this could be dealt with later. She jumped as her phone rang. She grabbed it and answered.

"Sandra. How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine Jack. Thank you for what you did yesterday." She was surprised at how she managed to keep her voice sounding neutral.

"Don't mention it...Ever...To anybody." She smiled at Jack's attempt to lighten the conversation, she had no doubt that he would be as embarrassed as her. She focused again as he continued. "I saw Grace last night, when I went to the station to get your car, the tyre had been fixed by the way."

"Rob...I mean the DAC called the garage to get it sorted yesterday morning." She sighed, she realised that Jack would catch her slip. Lord, yesterday morning seemed so far away.

"Okay, that explains it. She was very paranoid, but she mentioned having spoken to a Dr Hart before she went to Sarah Ellington. I've found him, do you want to come with me to see him, or do you need more time?"

"No, come and get me, I need to get back into this, I need to get back to normal." She heard him grunt.

"Normal! That's the last thing this bloody case is!"

/

Sandra watched as the assorted wiccan's were lead away, Grace and Rhoda stood apart from the group as Cara was driven off in a waiting police car. She sighed.

"How the hell am I going to write this one up?" She moaned. Her boys laughed softly. As they headed towards their waiting cars. She saw Rhoda being led to one of the marked cars. She headed over to the officer leading the woman. "Can you give us a moment." She asked the uniform. He nodded and moved away. Sandra turned to the woman. "Do you have any idea what you have done?"

"We missed the chance, the curse is still..."

"Not that and you know it!" Sandra hissed, her eyes blazing, the older woman seemed unaffected.

"Oh, you mean my little gift. You're welcome."

"What! You think I'm thanking you. Do you have any idea of the damage you have caused?"

"Oh, I'm sure a little passion between two consenting adults..."

"He's married! With two children. He's my boss, and he's a gentleman..."

"Not from what I witnessed..."

"That was your doing, you and your brew. And now he is ashamed and he hates himself. He can barely look me in the face. We were friends, you've destroyed that."

"Married maybe, but happily, No. You see, that particular tea only works if there is already a spark. It amplifies need, it doesn't create it. There must have already been something between you both, something repressed, for it to have worked so quickly, and with such...exuberance."

Sandra looked at the woman in shock, the wicca smiled and climbed into the car, Sandra nodded at the officer and watched as the witch was driven away. She felt a presence behind her and turned to find Jack standing there.

"You okay?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know." She looked at the other two members of her team, stood next to Gerry's stag. "How much do they know?"

"That you drank her tea, that you had to sleep off the effects. That's all."

"Let's keep it that way. It's over."

"What about him? You have to work together after all."

"We're adults, and professionals. And that's the end of it." She walked back to where the others waited. Jack shook his head.

"I wish I was that sure." He muttered.

/

_One week later._

Sandra took a breath as she raised her hand to knock at the door. She waited for the invitation to enter, and quietly pushed the door open when it came. She slipped through the opening and closed it behind her, watching as the figure behind the desk composed himself, the surprised look on his face evident as he had seen who it was who was seeking him out. She had been avoiding him all week, and she realised that he must be fully aware that she hadn't wanted to see him, he hadn't been down to the office either.

"Sandra, ummm..." He stumbled. She held up her hand to stop him.

"Please. I've been rehearsing this for a while, so let me say it. What happened, It's not your fault, and it's not mine. We got caught up in someone's game. But it's over now. I just want to forget everything about that day and get on with things the same way as before, back to normal." She knew she was being a coward, but the thought that she may have feelings for this man, that she could lose control so completely had terrified her. She had agonised through the previous evenings about whether or not to tell him what Rhoda had told her. But she couldn't, she just couldn't risk losing her control like that again. She had to put an end to it. She watched as he looked down at his desk. She could see the despair wash over him and she knew that in that moment she had broken his already damaged heart. But it was better for him this way. She was a disaster when it came to relationships, and there was no doubt that being involved with her would hurt him far more. This was kinder. He nodded.

"Yes... You're right of course." He slipped the mask back into place, the one he wore for the rest of the world, the one which he had started to lift for her before this had happened. She was saddened to see it. But she knew that he needed to hide again, he was hurting, and he wanted to protect her from that.

"Thank you Sir. Good night." She retreated from the office, resisting the urge to run. As she got into the corridor, she closed her eyes and let out a breath.

"Okay. Back to business."

Inside the office. Robert Strickland leaned forward, his elbows on his desk, his face in his hands. He couldn't imagine how those words could shatter his world so completely. 'I just want to forget everything' those six words may as well have been six daggers embedding themselves in his chest. He reached down and picked up the piece of paper which he had been looking at before she had knocked. Cream coloured, with an official seal, the words 'Decree Absolute' at the top. In the past week, he had finally moved into an apartment, leaving the family home for his wife, correction ex-wife, and children to carry on with their lives, and this single sheet of a4 had arrived this morning, as a testament to the fact that he was...nothing. He was a policeman, nothing more, not a husband, and from his children's reactions to him the last time he saw them a few days ago, no longer a father. And now it would seem, no longer a friend, at least to the one person who's opinion really mattered to him. He loved her, he knew that now, not just a physical attraction, he truly loved her. But she had made it clear that she did not love him, hell! He wasn't sure she even liked him.

His thoughts drifted back to that day, with her, the memory of their passion tormenting him. He had tasted paradise, and was now he had been banished to Hell.

'Back to normal.' Her words echoed through his head, like a bullet destroying anything in its path. He felt his heart ice over, frozen forever so it could never be broken by anybody else.

Things would never be normal, ever again.

/

_Author's note. A sequel will follow shortly._


End file.
